Load-discharging car



July 1, 1930. A. E. ZIMMER mm mscrmnsma OAR Filed May 12. 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 OOOODOO OODODOOOOO O/OQCOOOO July 1, 1930.

A. E. ZIMM ER LOAD DISCHARGING CAR Filed May 12. 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 1, 1930. v r I .A. E. ZIMNIER 1,768,728

LOAD- DISCHARGING 01m Filed May 12,1928 e Sheets-Shed 3 ALBERT z/MMER July 1,1930. A. E..ZIMMER 1,768,728.

[LOAD DISCHARGING CAR I Filed May 12. 1928 e Sheets-Sheet 5 74 ALBERT E- ZIMMER July 1, 1930.

LOAD DISCHARGING CAR Filed May 12, 1928 A. E. -ZIMMER 1,768,728

5 Sheets-Sheet 6 A LBERT .Efl Z/MMER Patented July 1, 1930 STATES PATENT OFFICE ALBERT E. ZIMMER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ENTERPRISE RAILWAY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS LOAD-DISCHARGING CAR Application filed May 12, 1928. Serial No. 277,114.

My invention relates to improvements in load discharging cars and especially that type of car adapted to discharge ballast centrally of the rails or to either side thereof or to both sides and center simultaneously;

An object of my invention is to provide an improved load discharging car of high capacity especially adapted for discharge of the load to the center or sides of thetrack and particularly adapted for meeting the requirements of various railroad services such as ballasting work or for hauling coal, coke, sand, gravel, sugar beets and like products.

Another object of-my invention is to provide a 'car having an arrangement of discharge doors and door operating mechanisms for the same so arranged as to provide for maximum convenience of operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a hopper car adapted for center and side ballasting wherein the parts are so proportioned and disposed as to permit of placing the ballast free of the rails and in the exact quantities desired.

A more specific object of the invention is to guard against excessive flow of ballast ma-. terial at the ends of the door whereby the ballast left by a moving discharging car' willbe of such proportions that the truck parts will be able to move freely over the same.

Further my invention resides in certain other features of construction such as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and claimed.

For a full comprehension of my invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of one-half of a car having the flooring broken away for the purpose of better showing the parts. Figure l-A is a plan view showing the end of the car opposite to that shown in Figure 1. Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the portion of the car shown in Figure 1, the section being taken on a line corresponding substantially to the line 2-2 of Figure 1. FigureQ-B is a side elevational view of that portion of the car shown in Fig. l-A. Figure 3 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view taken through the car on a line corresponding substantially to the line 33 of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a vertical, transverse, sectional view taken through the lower portion. of the car on a line corresponding substantially to the line l of Figure 1. Figure 5 is a detached view of a portion of a pair of hopper doors employed in connection with the invention. Figure 6 is an enlarged, transverse, sectional view of the pair of doors shown in Figure 5, taken on a line corresponding substantially to the line 66 of Figure 5. Figure 7 is a fractional transverse sectional view taken through the lower part of the hopper and on aline corresponding to the line 77 of Figure 1. Figure8 is a transverse, sectional view taken through the lower part of the hopper on a line corresponding substantially to a line 88 of Figure Q-B. Figure 9 is a transverse sectional view taken through the lower portion of the car adjacent the end of the hopper on a line corresponding substantially to the line 9-9 of Figure 2-13, the baflie plate for the inner doors being omitted to more clearly show the operating mechanism. Figure 10 is afractional elevational side view on an enlarged scale of that portion of the car having the boosting appliance identified therewith. And Figure 11 is a fractional'sectional view taken through the car adjacent the centersill on a line correspondingsubstantially to a line 11-1l of Figure 9.

In said drawings AA defines broadly the side walls of the car;v BB the sloping" end walls of the car; C the longitudinally ex tending centersill; DD the longitudinally extending hopper sections extending between the sloping walls BB, there being two sets of hopper sections per car, arranged in pairs 011 opposite sides of the center sill C, said hopper sections being divided longitudinally of the car by two transversely ex-- tending cross-beams E and F; (Er -G the baflie plates extending transversely of the car adjacent the respective ends of the hopper sections; H the rails on which the car is adapted to stand; J one of the wheels of the car; Kand L respectively indicate the outer and inner movable floor sections or doors for the hoppers D; M the operating mechanism for the side doors K; N the operating mechanism for the pair of inner doors L; O a boosting raising device for the inner doors L, and P a boosting raising device for the side doors K.

Each side Wall A of the car includes a side sheet 10, side stakes 11, 111 and 211, and upper and lower side marginal reinforcing members as indicate at 12 and 13 respectively. The sloping end wall B includes a floor sheet with sections sloping at diiferent angles as indicated at 14 and 15 respectively, said lower portion 14 being disposed at a steeper -angle than the upper portion 15. Above said sloping floor there is disposed a vertical end wall portion 16 rigidified adjacent its upper margin by a transversely extending angularly shaped member 17.

The centersill C includes a ridge shaped hood 18 and two flanged centersill members 1919 each formed at its lowermost margin with an outstanding flange 20 as best shown in Figure 3. At each end of each hopper section D there is disposed a transversely extending wall 21 (Figures 2 and 7) which depends vertically from the sloping end wall B. The transverse cross beam members E and F (Figs. 1, l-A, 3 and 7 each includes a channel-shaped member 22 extending transversely of the car and connected to the side walls of the car by means of gussets 23-23. Secured to the sides of said channel-shaped members 22 are ridge sheets 24 and 124, the latter being spaced outwardly from the channel a greater distance than that indicated at 24 for the purpose of accommodating the boosting raising device 0 as will hereafter be described. The ridge sheet 24 includes vertical depending portions 25-25, the two portions being spaced apart an appreciable distance and separated by an intervening spacing member 26, the distance intermediate said vertical depending portions being bridged by inclined portions 125-125. The ridge sheet 124 of the cross beam structure F is of similar construction except that the bridging portion 225 is of greater extent as shown in Figure 10.

Each hopper section D includes a lower V-shaped hopper having inner and outer discharge openings respectively adapted to be closed by inner door L and outer door K. Above said doors each hopper on the inner side of the car is defined by the center sill structure (1 and on the outer side by a sloping hopper sheet 27 extending downwardly from its adjacent side wall A, said sloping sheet 27 extending at an angle corresponding substantially to the slope of the door K, when the latter is in closed position, and forming a continuation thereof. The lower margin of said sheet 27 which terminates adjacent the free edge of the door is suitably reinforced at its lower margin by an angleshaped member 28. The main portion of the said sloping floor sheet 27 is disposed in substantially the same plane as the door, but adjacent each end thereof and at the junction of said side sloping floor and the end sloping floor B there is a raised floor portion extending at an appreciable distance above the level of the main portion of the floor as indicated at 29 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The outer and inner doors K and L are hinged on a common pivotal center 30 disposed just below the apex of the V-shaped hopper, said pivot 30 preferably consisting of a rod extending from the end of the hopper to the adjacent cross ridge and supported in brackets 31 and 32 disposed respectively at the end of the hopper and the adjacent cross ridge, the doors be ing suitably cut away as indicated at 33 to clear said brackets. The said doors K and L are hinge-dly mounted on the shaft 30 by means of intercalated hinges mounted on the respective doors as indicated at 34 and 35 respectively. Each of the doors K and L is preferably adapted to extend continuously beneath the center cross beams E and F the inner doors L being extended for an appreciable distance beyond each vertical end hopper wall 21 at the respective ends of the longitudinal hoppers. The doors terminate adjacent the end baflle plates G. The baflle plates G are formed to extend continuously from the hinged end of the outer door towards the sides of the car and are preferably formed of two plate sections 36 and 37 joined by connecting flanges 136 and 137.

The doors K and L are rigidified longitudinally by beam members disposed adjacent the hinged and free edges of the door, said inner and outer braces on the said doors being indicated at 40 and 41 respectively (Figure 3). Said doors are further braced transversely by a series of braces as indicated at 42, 43, 44 and 45 (Figure 5). The marginal edge of each inner door L is depressed or deflected to present, as at 46, a suitable rigidifying flange for the edge of the door, said flange when the doors are in closed position being adapted to seat beneath the outstanding flange 20 of the center sill member. The outer door beams 41, on the inner doors L, are extended beyond the ends of the door and the inner beams 40 are likewise extended beyond the end of the door and deflected out- Wardly, and thence longitudinally as indicated at 47 and 48, to form with the outer beam'41 a rigid beam member projecting an appreciable distance beyond the side edges of the door. The projecting portions of the beams 40 and 41 are tied together by a plate 49.

At the side edge of each. inner door and at an appreciable distance beyond the transverse hopper end wall there is disposed an upwardly disposed transversely extending bafile plate 50 and centrally of the car and adjacent thereto there is a baflle plate 51,

mounted on the car structure (Figure 4), said baflie plates 50 and 51 co-operating for the purpose of preventing undue flow of the discharging load at the ends of the door. The bafile plates 51 are braced longitudinally of the car by braces 151 which are attached to the centersill structure. Said baflie plates are adapted for ready removal and application to permit of access to the operating shaft and mechanism.

Inasmuch asit is necessary to limit the heap of ballast discharged by the opening door and maintain the same away from the rails during substantially the entire range of movement of the door during which the material flows freely from the car, the arrangement of the pivotal center of the doors in relation to the free edges thereof is such as to provide for the placement of the discharging load free of the rails in any position of the door (see Figure 3). This arrangement of the center doors is such that the free edges thereof, during the entire range of movement of the doors, will control the size of a pile of ballast and at all times maintain the base thereof below the level of the top of the rails, assuming the slope of the sides of the heap on a ratio of 1% to 1 base to height. Each of said inner doors L, when in closed position, as will be noted, extends from the lowermost portion of the centersill at an angle of approximately 40 degrees from the horizontal, and operates to direct lading to its adjacent side discharge opening. Said inner doors LL as they swing towards each other to discharge centrally of the rails have their free edges approaching relatively to each other until such time as the main portion of the doors are slightly below a horizontal plane as indicated by the dotted lines 200 in Figure 3 at which time'the lading from the respective openings commences to flow through the central opening between the two doors, and the material then issues as unit stream of small proportions. With the doors opened to the indicated degree, the

free edges of the doors will control the size of a pile of ballast, and maintain the base of the same below the rails, assuming the said pile to have a slope on a 1 to 1 base to height ratio as defined by lines 201201 in Figure 3. As the opening movement of the inner doors progresses from the horizontal position and the distance between the doors widens, the flow of material increases, but the base of the pile decreases, the pile with the doors fully opened being indicated by lines 202202 in Figure 3. Therefore, it will be observed that all danger of flooding the rail by the material discharging over the edges of the door is obviated.

The overflow of ballast at the ends of the door is prevented by the baffle plates and 51 which as above described are respectively disposed on the inner doors and body struc- 'means of a cross shalt shafts 53 and 54 being operatively connected to each other a short distance away from.

the end of the door, but in different vertical planes whereby said plates overlap and together provide an effective means for limiting the end flow of ballast.

The pair of inner doors LL are raised and lowered in unison by means of the centrally disposed door operating mechanism T. Said mechanism includes flexible connections 52 winding on sheaves 152 (Figure 3) carried on an operating shaft 53 disposed between the centersills, said shaft being operated by 54, (Figure 9) said by means of worm and gearing as indicated conventionally at 55 and56, said worm and gearing being preferably disposed in hous ings 57. Said cross shaft 5 1 is disposed at the outer side of the baffle plates G and operated from either end thereof by means of jointed crank handles indicated at 58, said handles being operatively connected with the shaft by pawl and ratchet mechanism in dicated at 158 and 258 respectively. The shaft 5 1 is supported at its outer end in gusset plates 59. rotation by means of pawls in cooperation with ratchet wheel 160,. carried on a transverse shaft 61. The operating shaft 53 is rotatably mounted in a series of diaphragms 62 which serve to space the center sills; Each of said diapnragms is in the form of a saddle having an open slot 63 at its lower end for the purpose of permitting easy bodily removal and insertion of the shaft 58 with its associated chains 52 and sheaves 152 in assembled relation with respect thereto. The supporting bearings in which the shaft 53 is rotatably mounted include an upper fixed section64 riveted to the web of the associated diaphragm 62, and a lower removable connection 65, which with the said upper section 6 1 completes a bearing for the shaft. The flexible connections 52 are adapted to wind on the sheaves 152 on the shaft in a single plane, and the direction of pull on the flexible connection 52 is reversed by means of sheaves 66 over which said connections pass. Four flexible connections for each door are preferably used, there being one connection for each door disposed in each of the transverse cross beam structures E and F, and one at each end of the door, the latter connections being disposed beneath the sloping floors B and immediately adjacent the baffle plates 50 on the door. Each of said end connections extends through a chain guide 67 carried by the projecting portion of the beam and thence beneath the door beam at which point connection with the door is effected by means ofan adjustable bolt 68. The intermediate connections in the crossbeam structures E and F extend through perforations 69 in the door plate and are The. shaft 54; is locked againstlikewise connected with the underside of the door by an adjustable connection. The sheaves 66 which are disposed between the cross beams are supported on pins 166 (Figure 7) which extend through the depending portions of the cross hopper sheets 25. The sheaves associated with the connections at the ends of the doors are supported on brackets 7 0 which extend outwardly from the centersill and are bracketed thereto, each of said brackets consisting of a plurality of walls 717l dispose-d substantially at right angles to the center-sill and carrying the sheave supporting pivots 7 2.

The arrangement of door operating mechanism for the outer doors K is effected by means of door operating mechanisms M. The two outer doors are adapted to be operated independently of each other and of the center doors and there are therefore two such operating mechanisms per car, but inasmuch as the mechanisms for the respective sides of the door are similar, the description herein will be confined to one of such mechanisms only. The operation of each of said side doors K is effected through the medium of flexible connections 73 winding on sheaves 74 fixed on a longitudinal shaft 75, each shaft being mounted adjacent the free edge of the door and below the sloping side hopper floor 27, each shaft being supported at each of the cross-beam structures E and F, and adjacent the end bafiie plates G. Operation of each of the longitudinal shafts 75 is effected by a short transverse shaft 7 6 (Figure 4) said shaft being preferably connected by means of worm and gearing shown conventionally, said worm and gearing beiiw preferably mounted in a housing 7 9. The shaft 76 extends through a side gusset plate 80 and outwardly thereof there is a shaft rotating handle as indicated at 81 operatively connected with said shaft by pawl and ratchet as indicated at 82 and 83 respectively, co-operating with said shaft to lock the same against rotation is pawl and ratchet mechanism as indicated conventionally at 84.

There are preferably four flexible connections 73 for each door K, there being one flexible connection disposed within each of the crossbeam structures E and F, and one connect-ion adjacent each end of the door and in the path thereof. The flexible connections 73 are deflected from a straight line path by means of sheaves 85, the upper portions of said sheaves being disposed on a somewhat higher level than the load containing surface of the side sloping floor section 27, as will be apparent from Figure 3, where said upward projection is indicated by the numeral 86. Those of said sheaves which are disposed adjacent the ends of the car are contained beneath the raised floor portion 29, the sheaves being supported on pivots 87 carried by brackets 88 and 89. The bracket 88 is disposed outwardly of the bafiie plate, and the bracket 89 depends from the raised floor portion 29, the said bracket 89 being shown in Figure 8. This arrangement of raised floor at each end of the door permits of greatly increased cubical capacity in the car as it obviates the necessity of raising the entire sloping floor 27 throughout the length of the car.

The character of the work for which ballast ears are required necessitates a mechanism of the worm and gear type or similar slow motion device to permit of the doors being slowly lowered and maintained in any adjusted position so that the flow of ballast may be absolutely controlled and perfect placement of ballast assured in the exact quantities required. For the accomplishment of this result a worm and gear has been found to be a highly satisfactory mechanieal appliance inasmuch as it provides for certain and graduated control during the opening movement thereof, and while this slow operation is necessary in discharging the load, it is frequently desirable that the operation of raising the doors be speeded up and for this purpose I have introduced boost ing appliances which permit of the doors being raised somewhat in advance of the worm and gear mechanisms, thus eliminating the frictional resistance incidental to the rubbing action between the surfaces of the worm and gear. I provide for the inner doors a booster O which broadly consists of a cross shaft 90 journalled in suitable bearings 91 and provided with operating wheels 92 at each end thereof (Figures 8 and 10). Connecting the shaft 90 with the doors are flexible connections 93. Said boosting mechanism O is preferably disposed beneath the sloping floor 125 of the cross member F. When it is desired to raise the door, an operator rotates one of the end wheels 92 on the shaft thereby lifting the respective doors and relieving the main flexible connection 52 of the weight of the doors. In the meantime another operator rotates the worm and gear by means of the crank handle 58, thus rotating the shaft 53 and taking up the slack in the series of flexible elements 52. The worm and gear being thus partially or entirely relieved of the Weight of the doors, there is little or no frictional adhesion between the worm and gear and the operator is then able to rotate the cross shaft 54 with great rapidity and the doors are quickly lifted to closed position. The boosting mechanism is so formed as to render the same inoperative in permanently sustaining any of the weight of the doors, and also permits of the raising of the door by the usual worm and gear independently of said boosting appliances.

For the outer side doors a somewhat simpler form of booster mechanism may be used, due to the accessibility of-the side door operating shaft. The same is indicated at P in Figures 2-13, 9 and 10 and consists of a socket 95 which is fixedly mounted upon the shaft 7 5 and provided with a series of barreceiving sockets 96 disposed in different angular relations with reference to the axis of the shaft. hen it is desired to raise the door, the operator inserts a bar as indicated in dotted line at 97 in Figure 9 and bears down on the outer end of said bar thereby counterbalancing the weight of the doors K thus relieving the worm and gear 98 and 99 of the frictional resistance between the cogs of the gear and the face of the worm. It will be understood, of course, that there is a certain degree of backlash between the cogs of the gear and the face of the worm, which permits of a slight relative movement between the worm and gear and thus permits the shaft 7 5 to move slightly in advance of the movement of the worm. The worm and gear being thus relieved of the weight of the doors an operator rapidly rotates the transverse shaft 7 6 by rotation of the handle 81. After the boosting operator has turned the bar through an angle of approximately ninety degrees the bar is removed and inserted in the next succeeding socket, the doors meanwhile being held and locked in their partially closed'position by the worm and gear. These operations are repeated until such time as the doors are fully closed.

I have shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative, and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is f r 1. In a car of the character described, the combination with a V-shaped hopper having included in one of its sides: a lower movable door section hinged adjacent the apex of the hopper and having its free edge disposed outwardly and a stationary upper fixed sloping floor section adapted to continue the plane of the door upwardly and outwardly beyond the free edge of the door, said stationary floor having the main portion thereof lying substantially in the plane of the door and having portions thereof adjacent the ends of the hopper spaced an appreciable distance above the level of the door; and door operating means including deflecting sheaves extending above the free edge of said door and the main portion of said stationary floor and accommodated within the said raised portion.

2. In a car of the character described, the combination with the sloping end walls of the car; of a V-shaped hopper section extending between said sloping end walls, one of said walls of the hopper including: a lower movable door section hinged adjacent the apex of the hopper and having its free edge disposed outwardly, and a stationary upper fixed fioor section adapted to continue the plane of the door upwardly and outwardly beyond the free edge of same, said floor having the main portion thereof in substantially the same plane as the door and having the end portions of the floor spaced an appre' ciable distance above the level of the door; a door operating shaft extending beneath the said stationary floor; and door raising devices extending above said shaft and accommodated within the said raised portions of the floor.

3. In a railwa car of the character described, the com ination with a longitudinally extending V-shaped hopper, one of the sides of said hopper including a discharge door and a stationary sloping floor, the stationary sloping floor having the main portion thereof disposed in substantially the same plane as the door and having certain portions thereof raised to an appreciable distance abovethe level of the door; of a series of hollow partitions extending transversely of the car, said partitions being disposed intermediate the raised portions of the sloping floor; a door raising shaft extending longitudinally ofthe car outside of the free edge ofthe door; connections between the shaft and door; and means for deflecting the connections from a straight line path, said means including pulley wheels rising above the level of the face of the door when the latter is in closed position, certain of the flexible connections and deflecting means being disposed within the hollow transverse partitions and other of said connections being disposed beneath the raised portions of the stationary floor. 4:. In a car of the character described, the combination with a V-shaped hopper having one of its sides composed of a stationary upper floor section and a lower movable section hinged adjacent the apex of the hopper, saidmovable section being adapted when in flexible connecting means between the shaft andthe door; and means for deflecting the connecting means from a straight line path, said means including pulley wheels having portions thereof extended above the load sustaining surface; and means for covering the said pulley wheels and flexible connections, said means adjacent the ends of the hopper consisting of raised portions of the floor, and said means intermediate the ends of the hopper being formed of transversely extending I hollow partitions. Y

5. In a railway car of the characterdescribed including a longitudinally extending V-shaped hopper having transverselyextending end walls extended below the apex of the said V'shaped hoppenaud transverse partispective floor sections having hinge brackets arranged at intervals along the adjacent edges thereof, the brackets on one floor section being intercalated with the hinge brackets on the companion floor section; hinge brackets respectively carried by the hopper end walls and the transverse partitions; and a hinge rod carried by said transverse end wall and partitions, said rod being adapted to interlock the respective floor sections and support the same on the car structure.

6. In a car of the character described, in-

cluding a longitudinally extending hopper having an end wall and a hinged movable door extending across the plane of said wall and adapted to be supported adjacent its free edge, said door having longitudinally extending beams respectively disposed adjacent the rear and front edges of the door, said beams being extended beyond the transverse end wall, said rear beam being deflected outward- 1% towards the front beam and connected t erewith; and door supporting mechanism co-operating with the said beam structure.

7. In a railway car having centersills formed of a plurality of spaced beams, dumping doors located on each side of the center sills and adapted to be operated simultaneously; a door operating mechanism shaft extending between the centersills, operating connections extending between the shaft and respective doors, diaphragms between the centersills, said diaphragms at each intersection with the shaft having cut-away portions forming a saddle adapted to straddle the shaft when in operative position between the sills; and removable inserts adapted with the said diaphragm to complete a substantially circular bearing for the shaft.

8. In a railway car the combination with a longitudinally extending centersill, said centersill being formed of a plurality of spaced beams; dumping doors located on each side of the centersill; and means for operating said doors simultaneously, said means including: a longitudinally extending shaft disposed between the centersills; operating connections extending between the shaft and the respective doors; supporting means for the operating shaft, said supporting means including a series of diaphragm members disposed between the centersills, each said diaphragm including: a fixed upper section adapted to straddle the shaft, and a removable lower section adapted when in position to complete a bearing for the shaft.

9. In a railway car, the combination with a'longitudinally extending centersill; of a discharge door disposed outwardly of said centersill and adapted when in closed position to abut said sill; a door operating shaft disposed between the centersills; a diaphragm disposed between the centersill and formed with an opening adapted to provide a partial bearing for said shaft; a removable insert adapted in conjunction with the opening in the diaphragm to form a bearing for the shaft; and operating connections extending between the shaft and the door.

10. In a car of the character described, the combination with a longitudinal centersill thereof; of a hopper disposed on either side of the centersill, the inner side of each hopper being movable with its free edge disposed centrally of the car, said inner sides of adjacent hoppers being adapted to move downwardly in unison to discharge lading centrally of the rails; an operating shaft tllSPOSQt between the centersills; connections between said shaft and the inner door of each hopper; a series of supporting bearings for the shaft, each of said bearings being formed of an upper stationary section and a lower removable section, whereby the shaft with its connections may be inserted bodily from beneath the centersill and locked in position by the application of the lower removable section.

11. In a railway car, the combination with a longitudinally extending centersill; of a discharge door adapted to close with its free edge adjacent the centersill; a longitudinally extending shaft disposed between the component portions of the centersill above the level of the door when in closed position; a

connection extending between the door and the shaft; a sheave intermediate the door and the shaft, said sheave being so disposed as to deflect the flexible connection from a straight line path; means for supporting the sheave from the centersill, said means including'a bracket disposed outwardly of the centersill and carried thereby.

12. In a car of the character described, the combination with a centersill; of a Vshaped hopper on each side of the centersilheach of said hoppers having a hinged dumping door adapted to extend outwardly of the centersill, said doors when in closed position being adapted to slope upwardly and outwardly from the hinged edge of each door, and movable to a downwardly inclined position when in opened position, each door being extended outwardly beyond the adjacent end of the V- shaped hopper; baflle plates respectively carried by the overhanging portion of said door and by the car structure, said baflle plates co-operating to prevent overflow of material at the ends of the door when displaced from closed position; and door raising and supportin means located outwardly beyond the baffle plates and secured to the doors.

13. In a railway car, the combination with sloping end floors; of a V-shaped hopper ex tending longitudinally of the car between the sloping end floors, one side of said hopper including a dumping door hinged adjacent ing located adj acent' theends of the door and also 'intermediately thereof, the said end connections and deflecting means being disposed beneath the sloping end floor, and said pulley wheels for the end connections being supported on brackets extending outwardly of the centersill and carried thereby.

' 14. In a car of the character described, the

combination with a centersill, of a longitudinal hopper on each side of the centersill, each of said hoppers including an inner door pivoted adjacent the apex of the hopper and when in closed position being inclined upwardly with the free edge thereof adjacent the lowermost part of the centersill, said inner doors of the pair of hoppers being adapted to move downwardly in unison to discharge the lading centrally of the rails, each of said doors, having longitudinal beams respectively disposed adjacent the rear and front edges of the door, said beams being extended beyond the end wall of the hopper and the beams brought together, whereby said front and rear beams co-operate to form a beam extension adjacent the front edge of the door; a baffle plate carried by the car structure adjacent the side edge of the door; a bafiie plate carried by the extended portion of the beam, said last named baflie plate being disposed adjacent the baffle plate on the car structure, and said respective baffie plates on the car and door combining to prevent overflow of the discharging load at the ends of the door; a door operating shaft disposed between the said doors; and a connection extending between each door and the operating shaft, said connections being located outwardly beyond the bafile plate.

15. In a car of the character described, the combination with V-shaped hoppers, each hopper having the end defined by a sloping end wall and a lower vertical portion depending from said sloping end wall, said hopper having one of its sides movable to a downwardly inclined position whereby discharge of the load outwardly of the rail may be efiected; of'a longitudinally extending upper stationary sloping side floor extending outwardly and upwardly from the free edge of the door, said sloping side having the main portion thereof adapted to lie substantially in the plane of the door and having a portion adjacent the sloping end fioor of the car disposed at a higher level than the main floor portion; a door operating shaft disposed beneath the said stationary floor; a flexible connection extending between the shaft and the door; a pulley wheel disposed in the plane of the flexible connection and adapted to deflect the same from a straight line path, said pulley wheel and connection being disposed beneath the raised portion of the floor and a;

bracket carrying a pivot pin upon which said pulley is mounted.

16. In a railway car, the combination with a discharge door adapted to be gradually opened and closed; of an operating shaft for the door; worm and gear mechanism adapted to control said door; and auxiliary raising means adapted to act on the shaft independently of the worm and gear whereby the worm and gear may be relieved of the weight of the door while functioning as a locking means.

17. In a railway car of the character described, the combination with a dumping door adapted to be gradually raised and lowered; of a mechanism for operating said door, said mechanism including: a door operating shaft, connections extending between the shaft and the door, and worm and gear mechanism for maintaining the doorin any adjusted position; and a bar-receiving socket fixedly mounted upon the shaft for the purpose of receiving an operating tool for compensating the weight of the door and relieving the frictional resistance of the worm and, gearmechanism incidental to the raising of,

the door. I

18. In a car of the character described having a hopper defined by end walls and longitudinally extending sloping walls meeting in the form of a V, the combination with a door formed in one of the sides of'said hopper, said door being movable to a downwardly sloping position to form with the adjacent side of the hopper a continuous sloping floor for discharge of the lading to the sides of the track; a shaft disposed outwardly beyond the free end of the door and connections extending from the shaft to the door; a door operating mechanism at the end of the shaft adapted to hold the door in any adjusted position during the opening or closing move ment of the door; and additional boosting means adapted to relieve the operating mechanism of the weight of the door during the raising operation of the same, said mechanism being disposed inwardly of the end of the door.

19; In a car of the character described, adapted to simultaneously discharge lading to the centerand sides of the car, the combination with two transversely aligned longitudinally extending hoppers, each of said hoppers having two: transversely aligned discharge openings respectively adapted for center and side discharge; of a pivotally mounted door member associated with each discharge openings, a pair of said door members extending inwardly towards the center of the carfor discharge centrally of the rails and the other of said members being adapted to open out- Wardly of the car for the purpose of discharging to the sides of the track; operating means for operating the center doors in unison; op erating means for operating each side door independently of the other side door and of the center doors, said operating means being adapted for holding the same in any adjusted position during the opening or closin movement of the doors; and boosting means associated with said doors for relieving the respective operating means of the weight of the doors during the raising operation of the same.

20. In a railway car adapted to discharge lading to the center or sides of the car, the combination with two transversely aligned longitudinal hoppers, each of said hoppers having two adjacent transversely aligned discharge openings adapted respectively for center and side discharge; of a pivotally mounted door member associated with each discharge opening; a pair of said door members extending inwardly toward the center of the car to discharge centrally of the rails; a door operating shaft located centrally between said doors; door connections extending between said shaft and the respective doors; means for operating said shaft and holding it in any adjusted position during the opening and closing movement of said doors; and additional boosting means for relieving the operating means during the raising operation of said doors, said boosting means including a transversely disposed shaft extending from side to side of the car; shaft actuating means disposed on each end of said shaft; and take-up connections extending between the shaft and door.

21. In a car of the character described having longitudinally extending centersills and hopperson each side of said centersill, each of said hoppers having a longitudinally extending door adapted when in closed position to abut the centersill, the doors of the respective hoppers being adapted to operate in unison and discharge lading centrally of the rails; longitudinally extending operating shafts disposed intermediate said doors; connections extending from the shaft to the doors; and door operating mechanism for operating the said shaft, said mechanism being adapted to hold the doors in any adjusted position during the opening or closing movement of said doors; and an independently operable booster adapted to relieve the said mechanism of the weight of the doors during the raising operation, said booster including a transverse operating shaft and winding connections from said shaft to the respective doors; and means for imparting a movement of rotation to the shaft.

22. In a railway car, the combination with a discharge door; of an operating shaft for the door; flexible connections extending be- ,1 tween the shaft and the door for the purpose of raising the door by rotation of the shaft; means for gradually rotating the shaft in either direction and holding it in any adjusted position; and additional means inde pendent of said rotating means for boosting 

